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Institute for Water, Environment and Health
(UNU-INWEH)
175 Longwood Road South, Suite 204, Hamilton Ontario L8P 0A1 CANADA
Phone: 1-905-667-5511
Fax: 1-905-667-5510
Email: contact.inweh@unu.edu
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Project Links
Freshwater Ecosystems at a Glance
A major factor contributing to the global water crisis is the widespread failure to implement integrated river basin management. In most cases, conflicts in water usage are not resolved effectively and sustainably. As a result, the continued neglect of water quantity and quality requirements for ecosystems has often led to devastating consequences for human health, natural capital, and aquatic biodiversity.
To better manage the river basins and to protect the ecosystems dependent on them, two core challenges must be overcome in many developing countries. The first is limited or absent scientific knowledge on water quality, quantity, ecology and ecosystem services. The second is the failure at the policy level to manage river basins in an integrated and holistic fashion. This is, in part, because knowledge at the leadership level of IWRM principles and practices is inadequate.
UNU-INWEH’s programme of work in this thematic area directly addresses these two challenges. The first challenge is addressed through targeted capacity-building efforts. The second is addressed by providing policy and management support based on the existing body of knowledge and information.
News & Events
New Analytical Brief on Water Security: A Proposed Definition on Water Security on Which Much Depends
This new publication proposes a working definition of water security developed from contributions made by the broad range of organizations, agencies, programmes and institutions that form UN-Water. It is intended to serve as a starting point for dialogue on water security in the UN system. The Brief, produced by UN-Water Task Force on Water Security co-chaired by UNU-INWEH, aims to capture the dynamic and constantly evolving dimensions of water and water-related issues, and offers a holistic outlook for addressing water challenges through the umbrella of water security.
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Joint International Conference: The Politics of Water Resources Governance in the Indus Basin
The Department of Political Science, GC University, Lahore, will organize a two day conference on Politics of Water Resources Governance in the Indus Basin on 9th and 10th of January, 2013. The conference seeks to explore critical perspectives on the politics of water in the Indus Basin. The dominant discourse in understanding water related issues in Pakistan and India, since independence from colonial rule in 1947, has been a managerial-technocratic discourse, which tends to depoliticize issues pertaining to water. Critical decisions concerning water distribution and management have generally been taken in the absence of a full scale political participation of all the stake holders. Problematizing these challenges and framing strategic responses to negotiate these challenges are the main concerns of the conference.
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Transboundary Waters Science and Management; 20 Years of GEF intervention in International Waters around the globe
GEF is the world’s largest investor in multi-country collaborations on shared water systems. The GEF International Waters (IW) portfolio encompasses River Basins, Lakes, Groundwater Resources, the Coastal Environment, Large Marine Ecosystems and the Open Ocean, which are shared by multiple countries. With more than US$ 1.2 billion of GEF funds leveraging over US 6.4 billion in cofinancing the GEF International Waters portfolio has seen water, environment and human security projects in across more than 170 countries. The IW:Science Working Groups have completed the IW:Science Synopsis and Analysis process of science and lessons within the IW portfolio and reported on their findings. The final stage of the IW:Science process is then the preparation of the GEF IW:Science Synthesis Report, serving to provide a global perspective on the state of challenges and pressures facing transboundary water systems, both freshwater and marine.
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The Global Water Crisis: Addressing an Urgent Security Issue
We are in the midst of a global water crisis. As shifting population dynamics and growing economic activity place an increased demand on finite fresh water resources, governments struggle to secure the needs of their citizens by ensuring access to an adequate amount of food at reasonable cost, a reliable energy supply, and a robust water infrastructure and supply system, all while continuing to sustain economic growth.
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Advisory document on Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in Coastal Zones
As part of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) (administered by UNEP and advising the Global Environment Facility), UNU-INWEH has contributed to a STAP advisory document entitled “Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in the Coastal Zone – Advice for Prevention, Remediation and Research).
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Report on the language of water in UN Declarations released
As part of a collaborative effort between UNU-INWEH and McMaster University,the Institute has completed a report, along with a Summary for Decision Makers, on the evolution of the language of water and other related issues (poverty, gender, climate change, etc) from eleven UN water and environment-related conferences over the course of forty years.
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Report and Policy Brief on Transboundary Lake Basin Management: Laurentian and African Great Lakes finalized and available
UNU-INWEH has finalized a report based on discussions at two workshops on Transboundary Lake Basin Management and Twinning. A four page policy brief extracted from the full report outlining lessons learned during the exercise is also available.
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